Winter is just around the corner here in Portland. Here are 5 timely tips to help you care for your landscape right now.
Slugs Last chance to knock out slugs! Control your slug population now in late fall. They lay thousands of eggs that will hatch in spring. I’ve got bad news about using the so called pet safe slug baits. New science says it kills your earthworms and can sicken your pets and other animals. Control your slugs with beer traps or even better an instant coffee spray. Yup coffee! Fill a spray bottle with strong instant coffee or any coffee except de-caf. Spray the leaves of plants they prefer and any slugs or snails you see.
I grow lots of winter greens here in NW Portland so I’ve been out there spraying down the leaves of my beautiful Dinosaur Kale plants to protect them now. Spraying coffee once a week in fall and early winter makes a big difference in the spring hatch of slugs. Read more about why slug bait harms worms.
Its the caffeine that kills slugs or snails. Instant coffee works well.
Mulch. If you only do one thing to improve your soil and care for your plants, mulching is the biggie. Schedule your winter mulch application for the last week of November to mid-December or hire someone to blow in your mulch. Companies such as Bark Blowers will blow in mulch including the newer “living” mulch products that I prefer. One company that provides mulch inoculated with beneficial bacteria is Natures Needs, a product called Recology Compost. McFarlane Bark, Mt Scott Fuel and Grimms Fuel supply basic mulch products. Did you mulch just 2 inches deep? Great! Now go and unbury the crowns of your plants so they don’t die from rot during our wet winter. Burying plants with mulch might be a good practice in Vermont or Montana but not here.
Landscape Design in a Day client’s custom gate. Photo by Lori Aveling
Protect your plants from winter temperatures
The best cold protection for plants in the winter isn’t something that naturally occurs to most people. Over watering and over fertilizing done in summer can cause plants to not go dormant. When cold weather comes, they are not prepared. Read more: Protecting Plants from Winter Cold Starts in Summer
Pruning knowledge There are many plants that should not be cut back in the fall and winter. There are many perennials and grasses that can be cut back to create a more attractive winter landscape. This is a case by case basis which drives new gardeners crazy. Consider consulting with your garden designer who can teach you what to do to your plants and when. It feels good when you know what to do.
Protect your pottery The best winter protection for your pottery is proper drainage and location. Make sure water drains through the pots hole and doesn’t back up. If water sits in the bottom and it freezes, good bye pot. I have had Vietnamese high fired pottery outside and intact for over 15 years. I always put drainage material in the bottom of the pot and a piece of flagstone under the pot or I use those little pottery feet.
If I have expensive pots where they will get east winter wind, the kind of wind that freezes rain to ice on the power line, I would move them into a protected area for winter right now. I hate to even think about that kind of weather but we get our share here in Portland Oregon, especially in January. Its hard to pay attention to the weather report, and besides who wants to move heavy pots around when its icy cold out? Not me.
For more information on how we can help you during winter months with your garden design.
